ultimatepopculturefandomcom-20200216-history
Accel World
| demographic = Male | magazine = Dengeki Bunko Magazine | imprint = Dengeki Bunko | first = February 10, 2009 | last = | volumes = 22 | volume_list = #Light novels }} | demographic = Seinen | magazine = Dengeki Bunko Magazine | first = May 2010 | last = June 2017 | volumes = 8 | volume_list = }} | network = Tokyo MX, TVS, CTC, tvk, TVA, MBS, AT-X, HBC, RKB, BS11 | network_en = | first = April 7, 2012 | last = September 22, 2012 | episodes = 24 (+ 2 OVA episodes) | episode_list = List of Accel World episodes }} is a Japanese light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by HiMA. The series began publication in ASCII Media Works' ''Dengeki Bunko imprint from February 2009 and is licensed in North America by Yen Press. Two manga series began serialization in Dengeki Bunko Magazine from May 2010, with another series beginning serialization in Dengeki Daioh in January 2013. An anime adaptation by Sunrise aired in Japan between April and September 2012. An English-language version began streaming on Viz Media's Neon Alley service from April 2013. Two video games were released for the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 on September 13, 2012, and January 31, 2013, each containing an original video animation episode. An anime film titled Accel World: Infinite Burst featuring an original story by Kawahara premiered in Japan on July 23, 2016. Plot Haruyuki "Haru" Arita is a short, overweight boy who is frequently ridiculed by delinquents at the Umesato Junior High School. Using his Neuro Linker to escape the torment of real life, he logs onto the school's Local Network cyberspace where he always plays virtual squash alone, and his innate video game skills bring him to the attention of Kuroyukihime (literally meaning "Black Snow Princess"), the school's popular, highly intellectual and attractive female Student Council Vice-President. After helping him against the delinquents, Kuroyukihime introduces Haruyuki to Brain Burst, a secret program that is able to accelerate the human cognitive process to the point at which time appears to stop. Haruyuki soon learns that Brain Burst is more than just a program, but an Augmented Reality Massively Multiplayer Online (ARMMO) Fighting Game where people fight each other in fierce duels in order to obtain Burst Points which can be spent for acceleration abilities in the real world. Kuroyukihime then enlists Haruyuki's help in reaching Level 10 within Brain Burst by defeating the "Six Kings of Pure Colour" and ultimately meet the creator of Brain Burst to learn its true purpose. With every challenge they face in the Accelerated World, Haru and Kuroyukihime, under their aliases "Silver Crow" and "Black Lotus", gather trusted allies, confront treacherous enemies and their bond grows stronger while working to attain their ultimate objective: to reach the highest in-game level and meet the game's creator, who will reveal why the game was created and the true purpose of it. Media Light novels Accel World began as a light novel series written by Reki Kawahara and illustrated by HiMA. Originally, Kawahara entered the first novel in the series into ASCII Media Works' 15th Dengeki Novel Prize in 2008 and the novel won the Grand Prize. The first novel was published by ASCII Media Works on February 10, 2009 under their Dengeki Bunko imprint. As of June 2016, 20 volumes have been published. At their Japan Expo USA panel, Yen Press announced the rights to publish the light novels in English. The first volume was released on July 22, 2014. | LicensedISBN = 978-0-316-37673-0 | Summary = | Title = Kuroyukihime's Return | OriginalTitle = 黒雪姫の帰還 | TranslitTitle = Kuroyukihime no Kikan }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-867843-8 | LicensedRelDate = November 18, 2014 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-316-29636-6 | Summary = | Title = The Red Storm Princess | OriginalTitle = 紅の暴風姫 | TranslitTitle = Kurenai no Bōfūki }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-868070-7 | LicensedRelDate = March 24, 2015 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-31-629637-3 | Summary = | Title = The Twilight Marauder | OriginalTitle = 夕闇の略奪者 | TranslitTitle = Yūyami no Ryakudatsusha }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-868327-2 | LicensedRelDate = July 21, 2015 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-31-629638-0 | Summary = | Title = Flight Toward a Blue Sky | OriginalTitle = 蒼空への飛翔 | TranslitTitle = Aozora e no Hishō }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-868593-1 | LicensedRelDate = November 17, 2015 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-31-629639-7 | Summary = | Title = The Floating Starlight Bridge | OriginalTitle = 星影の浮き橋 | TranslitTitle = Hoshikage no Ukihashi }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-868969-4 | LicensedRelDate = March 22, 2016 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-31-629640-3 | Summary = | Title = Shrine Maiden of the Sacred Fire | OriginalTitle = 浄火の神子 | TranslitTitle = Jōka no Miko }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-870276-8 | LicensedRelDate = September 20, 2016 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-31-635819-4 | Summary = | Title = Armor of Catastrophe | OriginalTitle = 災禍の鎧 | TranslitTitle = Saika no Yoroi }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-870550-9 | LicensedRelDate = December 13, 2016 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-31-631761-0 | Summary = | Title = The Binary Stars of Destiny | OriginalTitle = 運命の連星 | TranslitTitle = Unmei no Rensei }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-870954-5 | LicensedRelDate = March 21, 2017 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-31-650270-2 | Summary = | Title = The Seven-Thousand-Year Prayer | OriginalTitle = 七千年の祈り | TranslitTitle = Nanasennen no Inori }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-886241-7 | LicensedRelDate = June 20, 2017 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-31-646605-9 | Summary = | Title = Elements | OriginalTitle = Elements | TranslitTitle = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-886521-0 | LicensedRelDate = September 19, 2017 | LicensedISBN =978-0-31-646606-6 | Summary = | Title = The Carbide Wolf | OriginalTitle = 超硬の狼 | TranslitTitle = Chōkō no Ōkami }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-886795-5 | LicensedRelDate = December 12, 2017 | LicensedISBN =978-0-31-646607-3 | Summary = | Title = The Red Crest | OriginalTitle = 赤の紋章 | TranslitTitle = Aka no Monshō }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-891330-0 | LicensedRelDate = March 27, 2018 | LicensedISBN = 978-1-97-530006-7 | Summary = | Title = Signal Fire at the Water's Edge | OriginalTitle = 水際の号火 | TranslitTitle = Mizugiwa no Gōka }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-891608-0 | LicensedRelDate = June 26, 2018 | LicensedISBN = 978-1-97-532723-1 | Summary = | Title = Archangel of Savage Light | OriginalTitle = 激光の大天使 | TranslitTitle = Gekkō no Daitenshi }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-866005-1 | LicensedRelDate = September 18, 2018 | LicensedISBN = 978-1-97-532725-5 | Summary = | Title = Ending and Beginning | OriginalTitle = 終わりと始まり | TranslitTitle = Owari to Hajimari }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-866320-5 | LicensedRelDate = — | LicensedISBN = | Summary = | Title = Shirayukihime's Slumber | OriginalTitle = 白雪姫の微睡 | TranslitTitle = Shirayukihime no Madoromi }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-866936-8 | LicensedRelDate = — | LicensedISBN = | Summary = | Title = Cradle of the Stars | OriginalTitle = 星の揺りかご | TranslitTitle = Hoshi no Yurikago }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-865189-9 | LicensedRelDate = — | LicensedISBN = | Summary = | Title = Black Twin-Bladed Swordsman | OriginalTitle = 黒の双剣士 | TranslitTitle = Kuro no Sōkenshi }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-865438-8 | LicensedRelDate = — | LicensedISBN = | Summary = | Title = The Allure of Nega Nebulus | OriginalTitle = 暗黒星雲の引力 | TranslitTitle = Nega Nebulus no Inryoku }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-892115-2 | LicensedRelDate = — | LicensedISBN = | Summary = | Title = The Rivalry of White and Black | OriginalTitle = 白と黒の相剋 | TranslitTitle = Shiro to Kuro no Sōkoku }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-892390-3 | LicensedRelDate = — | LicensedISBN = | Summary = | Title = The Snow Fairy | OriginalTitle = 雪の妖精 | TranslitTitle = Yuki no Yōsei }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-893465-7 | LicensedRelDate = — | LicensedISBN = | Summary = | Title = The Sun God of Infinite Flame | OriginalTitle = 絶焔の太陽神 | TranslitTitle = Zetsuen no Taiyōshin }} Manga A manga adaptation titled Accel World illustrated by Hiroyuki Aigamo began serialization in the May 2010 issue of ASCII Media Works' Dengeki Bunko Magazine. The series has been collected in five tankōbon volumes, released between July 27, 2011, and February 27, 2014. A four-panel comic strip manga titled illustrated by Ryuryū Akari also began serialization in the May 2010 issue of Dengeki Bunko Magazine. Three tankōbon volumes were released between July 27, 2011, and October 26, 2013. In February 2014, Yen Press announced they had licensed Accel World for English release in North America. The first three volumes were released on September 23, 2014, December 16, 2014, and March 24, 2015 respectively. ;Accel World | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-870630-8 | LicensedRelDate = September 23, 2014 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-316-33586-7 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-870634-6 | LicensedRelDate = December 16, 2014 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-316-29634-2 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-886421-3 | LicensedRelDate = March 24, 2015 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-316-29635-9 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-891398-0 | LicensedRelDate = July 21, 2015 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-316-30216-6 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-866389-2 | LicensedRelDate = October 27, 2015 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-316-30614-0 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-869286-1 | LicensedRelDate = February 9, 2016 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-316-26898-1 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-892107-7 | LicensedRelDate = March 28, 2017 | LicensedISBN = 978-0-316-46920-3 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-893296-7 | LicensedRelDate = | LicensedISBN = | Summary = }} ;Axel World | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-870619-3 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-886808-2 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-866082-2 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-869342-4 | Summary = }} ;Accel World / Dural: Magisa Garden | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-886934-8 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-891617-2 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-866238-3 | Summary = }} | OriginalISBN = 978-4-04-866839-2 | Summary = }} Anime An anime television series adaptation aired in Japan between April 7, 2012 and September 22, 2012. The opening theme until episode 13 is "Chase the world" by May'n and the ending theme is "→unfinished→" by Kotoko. From episode 14 onwards the opening theme is "Burst the Gravity" by Altima and the ending theme is "unite." by Sachika Misawa. Warner Home Video, ASCII Media Works, Namco Bandai Games, Sunrise and Genco were involved in the production of this adaptation. Viz Media announced the streaming of the anime on Hulu as of April 6, 2012. An English-dubbed version premiered on Viz Media's online streaming service, Neon Alley, on April 19, 2013. An anime film titled Accel World: Infinite Burst featuring an original story by Kawahara has been released on July 23, 2016. Video games Two video games based on the series were developed by Banpresto and published by Namco Bandai Games for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable. The first of these, , was released in Japan on September 13, 2012. The second one, , was released in Japan on January 31, 2013. The limited edition versions of these games include an original video animation of the anime series (Blu-ray Disc for the PS3 version, DVD for the PSP version). In Z.H.P. Unlosing Ranger VS Darkdeath Evilman for PSP, Silver Crow is an unlockable costume. In Sword Art Online: Lost Song, Black Lotus is an obtainable character and is also one of the opponents you can defeat. An action role-playing game titled Accel World VS Sword Art Online: Millennium Twilight was announced in October 2016. The game is a crossover with Sword Art Online, developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita and released on July 7, 2017. Windows PC version was released on Sep 12, 2017. Reception Anime News Network reviewed the series and gave a story rating of A-, stating a similar basis of Sword Art Online with improved characters. Richard Eisenbeis of Kotaku praised the anime for its well-thought out story, relatable main character, and great villain protagonist, but criticizes the anime for its third arc. At the end, he says that the anime starts out strong, but ends on a weak note. Nifrigel declared great things about the anime in terms of soundtrack, characters, and story, but strongly criticized Reki Kawahara's lack of knowledge in the subject of virtual reality. References External links * * Video game official website * Category:2009 Japanese novels Category:2010 manga Category:2012 anime television series Category:2012 manga Category:2013 anime OVAs Category:2046 in fiction Category:Anime and manga based on light novels Category:Action anime and manga Category:ASCII Media Works manga Category:Augmented reality in fiction Category:Brain–computer interfacing in fiction Category:Cyberpunk anime and manga Category:Dengeki Bunko Category:Dengeki Comics Category:Dengeki Daioh Category:Light novels Category:MMORPGs in fiction Category:PlayStation 3 games Category:PlayStation Portable games Category:Romance anime and manga Category:School anime and manga Category:Science fiction anime and manga Category:Seinen manga Category:Shōnen manga Category:Sunrise (company) Category:Time in fiction Category:Virtual reality in fiction Category:Viz Media anime Category:Yen Press titles *